3 Tips For Surviving The First Few Weeks With Newborn Twins

Given the advances in medical technology today, it's not unusual to discover that you're expecting twins as early as six weeks into the pregnancy. While that might give you plenty of time to choose two cribs, stock up on diapers, and find the right double stroller, the days immediately after bringing your newborn twins home from the hospital can be quite nerve-racking. Therefore, if you would like to sleep more than an hour at a time in the foreseeable future, you are likely to find the following information to be exceptionally useful:

#1-Schedule, Schedule, Schedule

Given the sleeping habits of most newborns, new parents are often exhausted for at least the first few weeks of a baby's life. With twins, that time can be even more challenging. However, you can make it a bit easier by doing your best to keep both babies on the same feeding and nap schedule. For instance, it's a good idea to feed them both at the same time and encourage them to sleep soon after.

Consistency is key, as newborns will often sleep up to 17 hours a day. You'll need to encourage them to so at the right time since more than one baby has been known to get their days and nights confused. Therefore, you should speak with your pediatrician to determine how often you should be feeding the babies. If you're breastfeeding, you're likely to find that your babies need to eat more often because breastmilk is easier to digest. Premature babies often need more frequent feedings as well, since their stomach capacities are typically less than that of a healthy, full-term baby.   

#2-Consider Permitting The Babies To Share A Crib Until They Are Old Enough To Roll Into Each Other    

It is easy to forget that from the moment of conception until the moment they were born, your babies were never alone. Then, they were born and everything is bright and loud and they are no longer sharing close quarters with another being. As a result, twins feel stressed and so do you.     

One way that many parents have addressed the issue is by permitting the babies to share a crib, playpen or other approved sleeping unit. Research suggests that doing so is less stressful for them and that twins who share a crib as newborns are often able to sleep for longer periods of time. As with any major decision, it is best to speak with your pediatrician to be sure that twins co-sleeping in the same bed as newborns would be safe for them.

#3-Focus On The Babies And Yourself

Even though it might be hard to admit, you cannot do everything by yourself and frankly, the babies need to come first. That means that must take care of yourself in order to give your newborn twins the time and attention they deserve. By extension, that also means that your house might not be spotless and you might not get around to updating their baby books as often as you had hoped.  

It's easy to get sick of being told to sleep when the babies sleep, but it's very good advice. If you cannot sleep then, rest and try to keep your stress levels down. In addition, adequate nutrition will help you keep going when it seems as if the babies have done nothing but cry or fuss for days, be sure to eat well, regardless of how exhausted you might be at the time. 

In conclusion, twins are a double blessing and their presence in your life is undoubtedly going to be a source of great joy to you in the coming years. However, it's easy to feel a bit overwhelmed by them and their never-ending needs as newborns. As a result, every new parent of twin newborns can benefit from the advice discussed above.    

Contact a medical center that deals with newborn care for more information and assistance.